Sign in with Facebook
WHY Do They Act That Way? A Survival Guide to the Adolescent Brain for You and Your Teen
Even smart kids do stupid things. It's a simple fact of life. No one makes it through the teenage years unscathed—not the teens, not their parents. But now there's expert help for both generations in this groundbreaking new guide for surviving the drama of adolescence.
In WHY Do They Act That Way? nationally renowned, award-winning psychologist Dr. David Walsh explains exac...more
In WHY Do They Act That Way? nationally renowned, award-winning psychologist Dr. David Walsh explains exac...more
Audiobook
Published
May 28th 2012
by Tantor Media
(first published 2004)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
332)
With puberty in full swing for my oldest (just turned 12), I literally RAN to the library the other day and checked out an armful of books on how to successfully parent this tumultuous time with dignity (admittedly, the dignity part was lacking these last weeks/months?!). I skimmed all of the books, reading some chapters that I thought pertained and browsing ones that didn't seem relevant; basically, taking the wheat and leaving the chaff (LOTS of chaff in some of these books). WHY Do They Act T...more
This book is the clearest I've read on the biological basis for adolescent misbehavior. It covers the blossoming and pruning of neurons that goes on in the prefrontal cortex, the erratic changes in the levels of norepinephrine (the energizer neurotransmitter), dopamine (the feel-good neurotransmitter) and serotonin (the mood-stabilizing neurotransmitter), along with testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone. It also explains the workings of the amygdala, hippocampus, hypothalamus and the ventral...more
Very good neurological explanation of why tweens do and say some of the inexplicably irrational things that they do. It's not their fault. Really.
The first 90 pages were the most useful to me - the later chapters, as is true of most of these type of books, gets into the more serious sex-drugs-drinking things that (hopefully) aren't relevant to my 11 year old. Yet. So if you don't have time to read a whole book on this subject, reading the first five chapters of this book is very worth doing.
The first 90 pages were the most useful to me - the later chapters, as is true of most of these type of books, gets into the more serious sex-drugs-drinking things that (hopefully) aren't relevant to my 11 year old. Yet. So if you don't have time to read a whole book on this subject, reading the first five chapters of this book is very worth doing.
If the government is going to be all up in our grill about everything anyway, they should issue this to every parent on the 11th birthday of their first born child. I didn't agree with his positions of the best health care model or sex education (let's make that class an elective...let's make everything an elective...except this book), but that wasn't a deal breaker. This road map of the teen brain has been very helpful in my understanding of why my teenager is DRIVING ME CRAZY. Er. I mean, uh....more
2 likes · like · see review
It's a very logical and easy to follow description and analysis of why teenagers do what they do. In enjoyed his mix of professional and personal anicdotes. Most importantly, I now understand why teens can over-react, blow-up, and argue. I would have given it 5 stars, but I didn't agree with some of his social positions in the gender identity section.
The first 50 pages or so are key in figuring out how the adolescent mind develops and why kids react the way they do. It did provide helpful information. The latter part of the book focuses on drugs, depression, etc. Topics I hopefully won't have to deal with. The book does need a bit of an update as how the author suggests dealing with bullying is a bit dated.
Loved this book and the insights it gives on teens. The ideas in this book validate good parenting skills that I've always wondered about. It also is enlightening to understand how and when the teen brain develops and how that effects they how they respond. Very helpful.
After our oldest daughter turned into a hormonal crazy person I needed answers on how to be supportive and naturing without giving up our rules in our house re: responsibilities and consequences, and this book gave them!
I had to read this book as part of a class I took through Learner's Edge. This was a great book for anyone who needs a refresher on how to cope with adolescents, to first time parents or individuals dealing with teens! Any easy read with practical suggestions that really lets you understand how the adolescent mind is wired.
I'm about 100+ pgs into this book & am finding it very helpful in regards to how the adolescent brain works.... I am realizing that I need to bite my tongue more & let a few more things slide by w/o being so offended.
want to know why your teen drives you crazy? can you blame it 100% on your teen's brain development, or lack thereof? lots of science behind brain development.... interesting read for those with teens around.
I heard David Walsh talk at a conference and had to buy this book. I wish I had read it earlier - before I had been working with teens for over 5 years ... I finally get 9th grade boys!! :)
Great book giving insight into what's going on a teenager's head. Give good tips on how to handle some normal things, in addition to helping you understand what's normal and what's not. Great book!
I had to read this for a PSYCH class is college and found it very interesting. There are so many things going on with one's mind and body during adolescence that we have no idea about.
Basically teenagers act the way they do because they're brains aren't fully developed. Next time you're in a confrontation with your child, tell them that. It'll send them over the edge!
Very helpful insight to the adolescent brain in easy to understand terms. Will want to/need to re-read this next year. And the year after that. And the year after that.
Great layout. Easy to read for quick answers. Do's and Dont's as well as samples of things like behavior contracts and respect plans make this a great resource.
Very insightful! I think all parents of pre- teens should read this. It gave me a new perspective on how to communicate with my pre- teen. It also made me realize I need to pick my battles, be more understand of what he is going through and practice patience. It helps to understand the science behind adolescent behavior.
Great book for parents! I think every middle and high school teacher ought to read this one.
Would have easily been 4 stars, but the author focused almost exclusively on teens of married parents with very little attention given to single or divorced parents.
This is a great book so far. Helps you understand teenagers (if that is possible???)
Almost a manual for the care and feeding of teenagers' brains. Great read.
i certainly can't complain about this book because i enjoyed this book.
A must read for anyone with a 10-18 year old at home. Encompasses every situation an adolescent will face, why their undeveloped parts of their brain make them do the things they do and what you as a parent can do to help. You should not parent without reading this!
Must read book! I know more about my teenage son.
A must read for allparents of pre-teens!
Very informative!
Useful!
Mar 31, 2012
Kristin
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
professional-education
This is a great resource for parents of adolescents. It is packed with information but is delivered in a way that is accessible to all. I know that I will be coming back to it periodically as we are just beginning our journey through the teen years with our children.
This was a very interesting read. The book was a great insight into why *I* acted that way when I was a teenager. It will also be a valuable asset for when my own kids are teens. I will buy a copy of this to have for future reading and I recommend it to anyone who was a teenager once.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Mar 23, 2013 06:46am